We’ve all heard of someone referred to as having an “addictive personality”. Some even say it about themselves. But you may be surprised to know there is no such thing.
Where Did the Idea of an Addictive Personality Come From?
Nearly 90 years ago, around the time of the birth of the Twelve Step movement and Alcoholics Anonymous, there was a move away from thinking about alcohol problems as a moral failing and towards taking a more medical approach.The first step in this transition, based on the relatively little that was known about alcohol and other drug problems in the 1930s, was seeing these problems as a personality flaw. It was the best explanation at the time of why some people develop problems with alcohol and others don’t.
The addictive personality idea can also lead people to believe they are either destined for problems, or completely protected from them, neither of which is true. For those who do experience problems, they may have a sense of helplessness about managing their use.
Is There Any Truth to the Addictive Personality Idea?
We now know some people who have problems with alcohol or other drugs can return to regular use. And most people experience problems with only one drug, using other drugs in non-problematic ways. Both of these things contradict the addictive personality theory because they suggest there is a level of control.But there are some traits that are more likely to be found in people who have problems with alcohol or other drugs.
A Better Explanation
We now know the development of alcohol and other drug problems is influenced by a number of factors.Some drug experts refer to this as “drug, set and setting”: the qualities of drug itself, individual traits, and the context in which the drugs are used.
But how do these combined factors lead to problematic drug use and dependence?
Here’s how it works: any time we do something pleasant, we get a little burst of dopamine in the brain. The dopamine makes us feel good and says to our brain “you should try that again sometime”.
Alcohol and other drugs release a lot of dopamine. Some drugs release more than others.
So rather than a fixed personality trait, the motivation to use alcohol or other drugs is driven largely by our brain learning associations between the effects of a drug (drug), our individual response to the drug (set) and the environment in which the drug is used (setting).
It’s great news because what is learnt can be unlearnt. And it means alcohol and other drug use and problems are not inevitable, even if you have a genetic or personality predisposition.